Sunday, November 23, 2014

Thanksgiving is all about tradition. In
terms of dessert, everyone has their own idea of the perfect ending to the big
meal, but one pie seems to trump all others on this day, and it’s pumpkin.
Whether the pilgrims ate any on that big day lo those many

years ago I’m just
not sure, but there’s no denying that pumpkin pie is the one thing that
Americans love to eat on the last Thursday every November. I try to keep things
fairly simple when I have 85 different side dishes to prepare, so I generally
use

canned pumpkin puree for the filling (Libby's is my brand of choice). If you’ve
got a pumpkin hanging around from Halloween by all means roast it, but my guess
is your guests won’t detect much of a difference between canned and homemade
puree by

the time pie-time rolls around. What follows is a version of the
classic, topped off with a lovely Maple Whipped Cream and a few Sugared Pumpkin
Seeds -- a delicious dessert that you and your guests can really be thankful for.
I wish you and your families a happy Thanksgiving from the bottom of my heart
and may all your cooking and baking efforts this year fill your home with intoxicating
aromas and a cornucopia of love. ♥

1. Place the flour and salt in a food
processor fitted with the metal chopping blade and pulse on and off until combined.
Scatter the butter pieces over the flour mixture. Pulse the machine on and off
until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the vinegar and 3 tablespoons of
the ice water and process until the mixture just starts to come together. (If
the dough seems dry, add the remaining 1 tablespoon water as necessary.)

2. Turn the dough out onto a work surface
and shape into a thick disk. Wrap the disk in plastic wrap and chill for at
least 1 hour (or up to 3 days).

Roll out the crust:

3. Lightly flour a large work surface. Place
the unwrapped dough disk on the floured surface and sprinkle some flour over
it. Roll the dough from the center out in every direction, flouring the work
surface as necessary to prevent sticking. You want a round about 1/8 inch or
slightly less thick and about 3 inches greater in diameter than the pie pan you
are using.

4. Transfer the crust to a 9-inch
deep-dish pie pan (if you don’t use a deep-dish pan, there will be some filling
left over) by rolling it loosely around the rolling pin and unrolling it
carefully over the pan. Press the dough first into the bottom of the pan and
then against the sides. Patch any holes or cracks with dough scraps. Trim the
edges of the dough with scissors, leaving about 1/2 inch of overhang. Tuck the edge of the dough under iteself to create a border all the way around. Using the knuckle of your right index finger and the thumb of your left hand, crimp the edge of the dough. Prick the bottom of the dough with a fork all over at 1 inch intervals. Refrigerate the pie crust for at least 45 minutes before baking.

Pre-bake the pie crust:

5. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line the
pie crust with a piece of parchment paper or lightly buttered aluminum foil,
buttered side down, covering the edge of the crust so that it doesn't get too
brown. Fill the lined crust with pie weights, dried beans, or raw rice. Bake
the pie crust for 20 minutes. Remove the weights and foil. Bake the crust for another 5 to 10 minutes, or
until the edges are golden brown. Cool the pie crust on a wire
rack while you make the filling. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.

Make the filling:

6. Whisk together the eggs and pumpkin puree until blended. Whisk in the cream, milk,
sugar, vanilla, salt and spices just until smooth. Pour the filling into prepared crust and transfer the pie to a baking sheet. Bake at 325°F for about 1 hour and 20 to 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the filling is almost, but not quite, set in the center -- it should be quivery, but notliquid. (But pay careful attention, as overbaking
might cause the pie filling to crack on top.) Transfer the pie to a wire rack
and cool for at least 3 hours before serving. (If you are making the pie a day before serving, refrigerate it.)

Make the Sugared Pumpkin Seeds:

7. Position a rack in the center of the
oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet. Place the
pumpkin seeds in a small bowl. In another small bowl, whisk the egg white just
until frothy. Add just enough of the white to coat the pumpkin seeds. Add the
salt, sugar, and cinnamon, and toss well to coat the seeds.

8. Spread the coated seeds in a single
layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake, tossing them occasionally with a
metal spatula, for 15 to 20 minutes, until they begin to dry and color. Place
the pan on a wire rack and cool completely. With your fingers, separate any
clumps of seeds. Store the seeds in an airtight container for up to a week.

Make the Maple Whipped Cream:

9. Up to an hour before serving, combine
the ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
Whip at high speed until stiff peaks just begin to form.

Serving:

10. Serve slices of the pie topped with a
dollop of the whipped cream and a handful of the pumpkin seeds.

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Tish Boyle

About Me

Hi! I'm Tish Boyle, and I'm a cookbook author and editor specializing in desserts. I'm currently the co-editor of Dessert Professional magazine, a trade magazine for the baking and pastry industries. I'm the former editor of Chocolatier and Pastry Art & Design magazines, and a graduate of Smith College and La Varenne École de Cuisine in Paris. I've worked in lots of positions in the food biz, including hostess at the coffee shop at The Playboy Club (where, among other things, I blew up bunny balloons); cook on a barge traveling the canals of Burgundy and Bordeaux; a caterer, pastry chef, and food stylist for advertising. I was also an associate editor at Good Housekeeping magazine and a freelance recipe developer for several food companies and magazines. I'm the author of Diner Desserts (Chronicle Books, 2000), The Good Cookie (John Wiley & Sons, 2002), The Cake Book (John Wiley & Sons, 2006) and Flavorful: 150 Irresistible Desserts in All-Time Favorite Flavors (HMH, 2015). I live and bake in Palm City, Florida (where it's almost always HOT) with my husband and two charming cats, Teddy and Freddy. Visit my Web site at www.tishboyle.com.